


The Moff

by Fumm95



Series: The Moff-verse [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Gen, Knights of the Fallen Empire Spoilers, KotFE speculation, KotFE spoilers, KotFE timeskip, Moff Quinn, OC: Lieutenant Asteria Denn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 09:35:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6074206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fumm95/pseuds/Fumm95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the loss of his wife, Quinn throws himself into his work, determined to use his newfound reach to continue searching for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Moff

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a conversation with uldren-sov on tumblr, which then grew into the monstrosity you see here.

“Sir!”

Quinn waits until the young lieutenant snaps a salute and leaves before letting himself collapse into the chair waiting at his new desk. Slouching into the soft padding, he sighs, running a hand through his hair. Between the announcement of his promotion and the ceremonies and the parties associated with his new rank, the exhaustion of the past few years, the sleepless nights and endless work, has settled into his bones and he grunts as he forces himself to straighten.

Still… Moff Quinn. It is a rank that, years ago, he might have celebrated at reaching, had, at some points in his career, never thought he would have achieved. But now…

But now, he can only think about _her_. How she would rejoice at discovering how far he’s come, how she would drag him to every party he reluctantly attends. How she isn’t there to celebrate with him.

How he would give it all up for her to return to him.

The thought makes him sit up all the straighter. She is out there – she _has to be_ out there – and now he’s in a better position to find her, with more resources, more command, more influence. And he will do whatever it takes to find her.

* * *

Quinn’s hands twitch as he resists the urge to pace and instead checks the chrono again. The messages from his men indicated that they found _something_ but they have already missed the agreed upon meeting time. By two minutes.

Checking his inbox reveals nothing other than a few reports of the war against Zakuul and the current state of the Republic, nothing he doesn’t already know. He skims the most recent ones anyway, hoping for some sign of what has happened to his missing team, and brainstorms ideas on increasing their punctuality. Typically, he is more lax, but typically, they are more on time and information about the Emperor’s Wrath is not on the line.

Five minutes. Surely the threat of additional punishments will keep them—

He starts at the knock on his door, barely keeping himself from jumping outright. “Come in,” he intones, his voice cold to hide his discomfort.

The soldiers who enter are pale, breathing hard, and look as though they had run straight to him upon landing. As the majority of them catch their breaths, one, somehow remaining put-together despite their hurry, snaps off a brisk salute.

He relaxes a fraction. She is a welcome face, Lieutenant Denn, and has worked with him across the years, throughout the promotions and attacks, ever since…

He blinks away the memories of explosions and late nights burying himself in work. “Lieutenant Denn. Any news?”

“Yes, sir.” Her expression doesn’t change as she hands him a datapad. “The full report is there, sir, but intel indicates that an alliance has been forming on a planet in the Unknown Regions, to combat Zakuul.”

He nods. “The Star Fortresses?”

“Blown up, sir. By them.”

“Who is in charge?”

He nearly misses the twitch in her expression, the hesitation before she speaks. “They call her The Outlander.”

“‘Her’?”

The hint of a smile crosses her face. “There was nothing specific about them that we could find, nothing concrete. But rumors have spread about her mysterious appearance, about how she was the one who killed the Immortal Emperor.” She hesitates again. “That she is forming an alliance with members of the Republic and Empire both to take down Arcann and free the Core World. That she may be the Emperor’s Wrath.”

“You are certain?” He fights to keep his voice calm, professional, in front of the soldiers, but even so, he sees a few flashes of surprise.

Denn ignores them and makes a face. “Nothing is certain, sir. But multiple sources have spoken of her.” She inclines her head towards the pad he still holds. “Everything we found is there.”

He takes the hint, dismissing the men and settling back into his seat to read.

* * *

Half an hour later, he calls Lieutenant Denn back to his office and is not entirely surprised to find her already waiting outside.

“Yes, sir?”

He shakes his head before she can salute. “Not anymore, lieutenant.”

“Sir?”

“Quinn is sufficient, lieutenant.” The words feel strange on his tongue but he forges onward. “I will no longer be serving with the Imperial military. Ordinarily, I would not risk informing you but given the circumstances,” he gestures towards the pad still on his desk, “I believe you had a right to know.”

She nods briskly, her expression remaining unsurprised. “You will be joining her, then. The Outlander.” It is not a question.

He can feel his face soften, the corners of his mouth turning up with the shadow of a smile for the first time in too many years. “She is my wife, lieutenant.”

“Understood, sir.” She hesitates, then meets his gaze fully. “Permission to join you, sir?”

It is his turn to be surprised. “Lieutenant?”

“Permission to speak freely?” At his nod, she continues, green eyes drilling into his. “The men and I have followed you for what you have been doing to combat Zakuul, sir. The rest of the military is so focused on the Republic that they cannot see the bigger picture. And if you believe this alliance has a chance of defeating Zakuul, then I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we will gladly follow you.”

Quinn blinks. “Lieutenant, I couldn’t possibly—”

As if on a signal, the rest of the soldiers under his command in the search for Darth Recensere enter and Denn smiles fully. “Please, sir. It would be our pleasure.”

A quick glance around indicates that nobody there shows any sign of unwillingness, of anything other than pure determination, and he nods once. “Get ready to leave as soon as possible.” Part of him thrills in the movement that follows, of his loyal men jumping into action.

His heart beats faster as he turns to the holo on his desk and picks it up carefully. He will find her and return to his rightful place at her side, no matter what happens.


End file.
